Slay suspect in Marathon County for court hearing

May 13, 2009

Written by

Wausau Daily Herald

The 22-year-old Wausau man accused of killing an 18-year-old high school student arrived at the Marathon County Jail at about 10 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the jail staff.

Raul Ponce-Rocha had been held since May 6 at the Dodge County Jail on an immigration hold. Ponce-Rocha was transported to Marathon County after preliminary DNA evidence linked him to the May 2 slaying of Breanna Schneller.

Police reported Ponce-Rocha to federal authorities May 6 after an interview that day in which detectives noted discrepancies in his answers, Wausau Police Chief Jeff Hardel said. Dodge County has a contract with the federal government to hold people in immigration cases.

Ponce-Rocha is scheduled to make an initial appearance at 1:30 p.m. today in Marathon County Circuit Court on a charge of first-degree intentional homicide. Judge Patrick Brady is expected to formally charge Ponce-Rocha with the offense and to set bond.

At a press conference Tuesday at the Wausau Police Department, Marathon County Assistant District Attorney Theresa Merriwether said that if Ponce-Rocha is convicted, he will serve a life sentence in a Wisconsin prison and will not be deported.